Over-bed table



Feb. e, 1945.

B. A. DoTY OVER-BED TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lFiled Feb. 19, 1945 I i 1, ""ss vill,

Feb. 6, 1945. a A non 2,368,748

v ovm-BED Filed Feb- I9. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 5 Patented Feb. 6, 1945 Boyd A; Doty,

OVER-'BED 'ralenti vBuialo, N. Y.,y assigner to` Hard Manufacturing Company, Buffalo, N. Y.; L

, ApplicationFebruary 19, 1943, Serial No. 426,415# Y 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in overbed tables of that kind comprising legs which depend from opposite ends of the tabletop or top structure and are adapted to straddle a bed so that the top may be supported over-the bed in `proper position for use by an invalid or occupant of the bed. These over-bed tables'are ordinarily provided with legs that rare adjustable in length, and means for adjusting them, whereby the table I top can be adjusted to a height or elevation best suited to the convenience of the occupant'of the bed and to enable the table'to be moved over an end frame ofthe bedstead to and from position for use.

One object of my invention is to provide a desirable and practical over-bed table of this sort which, in the main, is of wooden construction and with the minimum of the preferred embodiment ofthe invention,

shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of the invention are setforth in the appended claim.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an over-bed table embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken, longitudinal, sectional elevation thereof on the plane of line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view thereof, they table top being omitted to show the construction of the top frame.

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the table, partly broken away, to better show the adjusting mechanism of one of the legs.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view through one of the legs on line 5 5, Fig. 4. The table comprises a top frame I0 on which the table top or top panel II is secured or supported, and legs I2 which depend from opposite ends of the top frame I0 and are disconnected below their upper portions to adapt the legs to straddle a bed with the top frame and top extending crosswise over the bed. Preferably, the top frame is of rectangular shape and constructed of opposite horizontal end bars I3 connected by parallel side bars I4 which may be rigidly `attached to the end bars in any suitable or approved manner. As shown, corner braces I5 are-provided in the vfour corners of the top frame, and these may be fastened by screws or otherwise to the end and side frame bars to thereby rigidly secure the bars together and Iirmly brace the frame against weaving or distortion from its intended rectangular shape. The table top I I may be of any desired form and construction, whether in one or more sections, and may be secured on the top frame I0 in'any suitable way.

Each of the legs or end supporting standards of the table comprisesupper and lower sections which are slidably or telescopically connected to enable extension and shortening of the legf The lower section' of the leg consists of an upright post ormembery I6,preferab1yvformed by a relatively thick wooden board 'which rises` from-a wooden cross base 0r foot piece I'I to which it is rigidly attached `in any suitable manner. The other or upper leg section is preferably formed by two spaced wooden side bars or pieces `I8 which are rigidly attached at their upper ends, in any suitablel manner to and depend vertically from the h adjacent end piece I3 of the top frame, and outer and inner panels or thin face boards I9 and y2l) which are rigidly vfastened by screws or otherwise, to and connect the spaced'bars I8 at their opposite faces, the bars I8 `and'panels I9 and 20 thus forming a hollow, box-like, upper leg section in which the board I6 of the lower section is confined laterally and vertically slidable. Preferably, a tongue and groove slidable connection is provided between the board' I6 of the lower section and the side bars I8 of the upper section, as for instance, by tongues 2I on the edges of the board I6 slidably fitting ingrooves in the inner edges of the side bars I8. The face boards I9, 20, as shown, form raised panels on theinner and outer sides of the upper leg sections between their opposite edges, and thus give the legs a pleasing or attractive appearance.

The mechanism for lengthening or shortening the legs for adjusting the height of the table top comprises vertical screw shafts 22, one housed and concealed in each leg with the upper end portion of the shaft journalled or arranged to turn in and beheld from endwise movement in a bore 23 in the adjacent end cross bar I3 of the 'top frame, and a nut 24 which is secured or confined in a socket in the post I6 of the lower leg section, and in the threaded hole of which'nut the screw shaft is adapted to turn. By turning the screw shafts in one direction or the other, the legs are extended or shortened. Preferably, the screw nut 24 is of cylindrical form and conned in a cylindrical socket 25 bored horizontally inthe post I6 play therein, both radially and axially of the cylindrical nut. `Thenut is thus adapted tofvauto-` matically accommodate itselfV tov the" screwr shaft so that the shaft will work freely in the nut without binding,regardless of possible inaccuraciesof construction. The adjusting screws therefore will work easily and freely notwithstanding that V.

some discrepancies in the"sizegt-positionlomalinee ment of the parts of the tabl'eorthe adjusting mechanism might occur inlthesmanfacturerof the table. As shown, the post of the lower ,leg section is provided in its upper portion above'the 'nutfsocket 25iwith af-Verticalb'ore. 26;: andfb'elow .the socket 25-:with aoverticalychannel orrbore-2fl #for the reception oflthescrew shaft.

' fjusting rthe twoflegs by f-anyv-suitablesmeans. -For .instancaa horizontal operating-.shaft- 28 extends f-lengthwise rthrough `thetop. iframe` fi lluand'isgpro-` vided'. at -oneendV :with la crank 1 vor handlefl 2 9, for' Ytur-ning it and -fwith obevelled, pinionfs1 30, .one fof which meshesnwith a fbevel\pinion 3l zonfthewupp'er -end of each screw fshaft-:22. 1 As-shown;.theoperl ating shaftf28passes f through and is 'journalled in -bearing-'holes-in blocksl 32 secu-red :to thefinner Y ;'-"-35 andx adjusting.- fmechani'snr .for-fthe cmovable-,lsecl z-side of the endbarsfoffthetop frame. :Thefhan- -dle end; of. ,-the 'shaft-28` v also passes out through 30 .-thereon"y are-seated and l fadafpted I`to- -turnnin la cylindrical cavityfinH-a-coi/empiece34-whichf;isj n lsuitalily` secured i on -the outer-i 'fside 'of the-Jadja-l .cent frameend=piece i3. l- These ,piecesi .and-343 Ethe -.end bars I3 Hin which ythewloevel:pinions2:3!)

andf 3 I are housed. 36 iindicatesfa ,-stopfpin -.or :stud ,Whichis i'ixedsin :the linnerside ofv fthelpost .extends l into an elongated iverticalwslot'f 31 iin he innerv panel' ofthe ,uppersection ofv theleg. l This stud, yJoy f engagement with #the 1 uppers rand'y :flower ends of the slot is adapted to limitl the up and down adjustments of the table top. Both legs may be provided with such stop means, if desired. By the described construction, the table may be 5 of wooden construction throughout, with the exception-of the adjusting mechanism for the legs, and such screws or fastening devices as may be employed to fasten together the wood parts of4 the `table legs and topstructure.v This is a delgvsideratum, at Athe present .time when iitjis diflicult v-or impossible 'to 'obtain AjmetalV because of war i, priorities. Nevertheless, the table is of desirable land practical construction, isv strong and rigid,

afandsofattractive appearance, particularly with ,l5 regard to ,the legswin which the leg-adjusting 'me'chlanism is wholly housed land concealed. "Each leg is of Ysturdy but pleasing appearance, dueflargely:tolthelpanelled effect produced by the described formation of the upperleg sections. v20 Furthermore, by the described construction of the legsadjListing-:mechanism: thefmechan-ismv` can be :freely operated-,atozadjustthe height ofsfthetable, inotwithstanding, the ,woodenfconstructiongthereof randg,possible;inaccuraciescior fdiscrepancies,v -vdue f ofy the gparts;l f which otherwise: might- :cause f the y lapartsilof'sthe: adjustingameohanismi'to vnbindvso as .tozzpreventl free and :easy-.operation ithereof.

';Ifzizlaimfaszmy:invention: A i l ln-'anoverfbed: table. comprisingflegsxwhichuare iarrangedartoqestraddle;iaz-Joed to 4 support the y-ftalole top-:over othe r bed;A and; :fhayeiv slidaloly..` ;connected @sections owhichfrarei relatively adjustable?` ivertikcally for adjusting the height of the table' top,

tion `:of s each legf comprising 1 a mutconnected'; to .fone sseotionxfoixzthe. Flegf.: and L a zisub'stantially yertical screwrlshaft-fjournalled:iandzlheldiifrom endi'wisef'rnovementf inzlthe: father; section of=- the `leg U40 .and ha-Vingfscrew threadediengagement.with:said .nut :theifimprove dv construction :in gwhich: said nut yfis.alf-external zylindrirzal shape .with thecaxis fof -,the;-;cy1inder substantiallyhorizontal and isyloosefly f'conned fina a concentriofgcylndrical :socket-.in .one fleg,-=seotion;but .xhasslimited free .i playain; said socket both to rock about said substantiallythori- .zontal axis land, alsozshift in :the;rlirectionn'off4 said .a-xisz-ytogipreventbinding? betweenaithe :Knut v:and

125 rto manufacture, in 'the -size,1apositionsor alinement 

